Sask. Party budget failures hurt Saskatchewan families

August 25, 2017

In Saskatoon, 20 per cent more people are forced to rely on EI than this time last year

As the Sask. Party government’s focus turns to their party’s leadership race, another minister rushed out an unprepared announcement today. This time, it was the first quarter financial update and it is clear that it was written to serve the Sask. Party more than Saskatchewan people.

“You don’t need to be a financial expert to know they should not be bragging about blowing through half of the budgeted contingency fund in the first quarter of the year,” said NDP Leader Nicole Sarauer. “The Sask. Party’s attempts to spin the facts would be laughable if the consequences weren’t hurting Saskatchewan families so deeply.”

Even some of the Sask. Party’s adjustments in the update are unrealistic and unhelpful.

“The Sask. Party is still banking on overly aggressive oil prices, on cutting $125 million from the pockets of public sector Saskatchewan workers, and hiking the PST on everything from kids’ clothes to insurance,” said Sarauer. “Throwing people out of work, cutting salaries and making life more expensive will hurt families and the economy even more.”

Despite Sask. Party claims to the contrary, RBC rates Saskatchewan’s GDP growth as the slowest in the country outside of Atlantic Canada.

Many other key financial indicators are also showing that the Sask. Party’s mismanagement, scandal and waste are leaving Saskatchewan behind other provinces and forcing Saskatchewan people out of work. Under the Sask. Party, Saskatchewan is now:

seventh for retail trade;

seventh for housing starts

eighth for wholesale trade;

eighth for building permits;

ninth in the country for employment;

and the Saskatchewan unemployment rate is higher than the national average for the first time since 1989.

“Despite years of boom, the Sask. Party is doubling the province’s debt in just five years. Today, instead of bragging about misrepresented numbers, they should be taking responsibility for their heartless cuts, unfair tax hikes, and desperate sell-offs,” Sarauer said. “The Sask. Party must stop focusing on their own partisan aspirations, stop making Saskatchewan families pay the price, and start reversing their cuts and building back the economy.”

“It’s clear they aren’t working for Saskatchewan people anymore,” Sarauer said.